The Gift of Camp

I LOVE the first full day of a camp session. I love waking up to the bell for the first time, gathering at reflect together for the first time and embracing the first day of five full activity periods! On the first day, we learn routines, learn names of new friends, learn our way around camp and get comfortable in our new home away from home. On the first day, it feels like joy, excitementt and adventure are awaiting you around every turn, and this makes camp feel like the gift that keeps on giving.

The older I get, the more appreciative I am for the gift of camp. Rick Warren said that the greatest gift you can give someone is your time. He said, you can always make more money, but you can’t buy more time. Camp, like many good things in life, has a time limit, so we encourage campers to make the most of each day at camp and enjoy the gift that they have been given. Today, they did just that!

Today I saw campers molding clay on the wheel at pottery, making treats from scratch at cooking, hitting the bullseye at archery, climbing the wall, braving the third level of the Crow’s Nest, paddling canoes and so much more… it was amazing. I was so proud to see everyone jumping in the fun, facing some fears and making the most of their day!

Favorite Details of the Day

• Reflect: This morning at reflect, Emily talked about the gift of camp. Some of the best gifts that we get are the memories that we make with one another. By sending your child to camp, you are not only giving them the opportunity to participate in so many wonderful activities, but you are giving them memories that they will cherish for the rest of their lives. These next two weeks will create unforgettable moments and unbreakable friendships that will remain with your campers for years to come.
• Meals: We started our morning with french toast sticks, sausage, scrambled eggs, and fresh fruit. Philly cheese steaks, tator tots, and salads were served for lunch. For dinner everyone enjoyed greek chicken and grilled vegetables with hummus and pita bread. Delicious!
• Weather: The weather today was wonderful! We had a full day of clear skies and sunshine, what a perfecct way to start B session.
• EP: Tonight’s evening program was cabin challenge! Each cabin dressed up in their best space-themed outfits and took on challenges around camp in a competition for the EP trophy. In the finale, cabins 28 and 14 went head-to-head in the finale. Everyone cheered when cabin 14 came out victorious and won tonight’s cabin challenge!

In the first few days of camp, some campers find it hard to see the gift that they have been given. Sometimes they feel like the separation from you is taking away from the fun they should be enjoying. This is very normal for new campers, and it has been a challenge for some returning campers in previous sessions as well. After spending so much time with family during the pandemic, some campers feel guilty having fun without you here and it starts to look a lot like homesickness. Again, this is normal and it’s going to get better.

We believe that the summer camp experience is one of the greatest gifts you can give your child, not just because it is a sacrifice of your time with them, but becasue this time away has tremendous impact on their growth, self-esteem and childhood memories. From overcoming those feelings of homesickness to conquoring the giant swing, these moments are life-changing for your child. This summer, camp is even more impactful than ever. This in-person, outdoor, educational experience is just what our children need in our world today. Free from the distraction of technology, video games or the stress of the outside world, our campers are experiencing true friendship, genuine laughter and personal growth each day at Highlander. This is a gift that they will cherish for the rest of their lives, and it is made possible by you, our parents. Thank you for the gift of camp! We promise to embrace it and enjoy every minute of it!